What the Brothers Say
At one of our reunions Brother Paul Bourke made comments about some of his past pupils.
One was “there was young Billy Deane—he made a bit of a name for himself”
Billy Deane was one of Br Paul’s students in about Year 7 at St Joseph’s College in Sydney.
We contacted Sir William Deane and asked if it would be possible for him to join us at the next reunion and be guest speaker. His personal assistant replied: –
“Sir William is currently overseas and has asked me to thank you for your email and for the invitation for him to be guest speaker at the Kyneton Marist Brothers Old Boys Association’s annual reunion in January 2009. Sir William greatly appreciates the invitation but regrets that the pressure of other commitments prevents him accepting it. He has asked me to pass on to you his warm personal wishes and to tell you that he has fond memories of Brother Paul”.
Brother Paul known as Possum to many is fondly remembered by everyone with whom he came into contact but arguably more so at Kyneton.
Brother Des Hornsby now at Bendigo [dhornsby@maristmelb.org.au] provided this insight: –
I recall Brother Roger Reidy [deceased] entertaining us with great ghost stories from the thirties …. Rosary House ….. ending up with a goat eerily ringing the outside bell as it chewed up the rope! I am assuming Damian was Br Damian Willis. The Br Mark [must have left] was the one who was terrified living there
Also: –
The Administrator of St Kilian’s Parish here in Bendigo is Father Rom Hayes. He attended Marist Brothers Kyneton and clearly remembers Br Paul Bourke coming around to his dad to discuss potato growing. This cynical writer would be prepared to bet race horses would have been on the agenda. Fr Rom finished his senior education at Xavier College.
We contacted the brothers that are still alive and asked if they would like to provide some reflections of their time at the school.
Brother Marius Woulfe taught at the school in 1949, 1950 and 1951
On the eve of his 84th birthday wrote: –
Over the years I have admired the Old Boys Association from a distance mainly because I have spent more than fifty years out of the State of Victoria, in places as remote as Perth and Manila, as well as Europe.
Congratulations on the web site. I can’t contribute much but I will mention a few memories here and if you want to use them you will have to do some editing:
The boarders. They occupied a room in the back part of the Brothers’ house [Rosary House ED] and went home each weekend.
The bullock team, a dozen or more yoked in pairs. They provided a steady strain on the big tree opposite the school while it was being cut down. [Would have been the bullock team operated by Bill Carey ED]
Boxing training in the Parish Hall…….. A local publican (George White a former boxing champion from South Australia) was in charge. Then the big night in the Town Hall……… It was a good fundraiser for the school. [Bill Stone a burly policeman was also involved. He used to advise this punch [a light tap] will not hurt but this one will! [as he hit your chin with the other hand ED]
There was a big walnut tree at the back of the Brothers’ house. Each year I would collect the walnuts and sell them to a grocery store (Hayes) and use the proceeds to buy sporting equipment.
Brother Isidore [1949 & 1950 ED] taking his class (deeks and all!!) out into the middle of the bitumen yard! It was so hot that the students had to wear big hats to keep the sun off!!
My first sight of snow……….. I helped the boarders build a snowball at the front of the Brothers’ house and we sent it rolling down the hill growing to an alarming size as it went.
Of course I remember the wood drives (Mr. Keegan?) and the rabbit drives and I used to like to watch the Sheepdog Trials on the main town oval.
As for names, well I will be 84 this month and my memory is a real problem. There’s Bill Bock and Carl Bowen and the two Bowes. Can visualize Bernie [Many of the Simpson Street Bowes attended school. Bernie Moloney advice to brother that Bernie had just died ED]
If any old boys come to Darwin give me a ring. It would be great to see you again. Marius
Brother Kevin Hoare taught at Kyneton in 1965 and 1966 and was a regular attendee at the Annual Reunion until relocating to Solomon Islands in 2009. We keep in touch by email and he sent along a story and some photographs.
Please pass onto to the Old Boys and very good wishes and God’s blessings for Christmas and the coming year.
Here’s a little of what I have been doing of late …
I have been over in the Shortland Islands helping our young men who have just graduated start the building of part of a secondary school. They graduated on the Saturday and after a twelve hour boat journey on the Sunday some 28 of them started work on the Monday!!! This is so that the last years Form Threes will be able to continue on to do their Form Four and as more classrooms are build also do Forms Five and Six. One of our teachers is doing the supervising and at the end of the second week had the wall frames up and the roofing frames ready to go up.
Our school takes young men between the ages of 18 to 28. All have fallen/pushed out of high schools for various reasons eg no school fees. About half didn’t get into High school; while a few only having grades 3 or 4. There were 150 there this year, with 80 in the 1st year group and 70 doing the 2nd year course. The 1st year learns general skills in Building, Carpentry, Mechanics and Agriculture and their 2nd year they specialize in any two of these skills. They come from all provinces of the Solomons and about half are Catholics.
The Marists started in “72 (at the request of the Bishop) with Brothers Francis [McMahon] and Kevin [Murray] and the early students of that time, whom I have met, still speak with praise about these men. The Shortland Islands are “right next to the PNG border and only about 20 mins by speed boat where the local people go to sell their goods.”
Best wishes to you all,
Cheers, Kevin
